Blood Test : HIV Antibody Screening Test

ACQUIRED IMMUNODEFICIENCY SYNDROME (AIDS) is a lethal disease caused by a virus known as the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Once infected, the body reacts by producing antibodies to the HIV virus. When the body is infected with HIV, antibodies are formed to fight the infection. The detection of these antibodies in a blood specimen is known as the HIV antibody test. The test is designed to reveal past or present infection with the AIDS virus. It is useful in several situations:

1. SCREENING POTENTIAL BLOOD DONORS

2. SCREENING POTENTIAL ORGAN DONORS

3. TESTING FOR INFECTION IN HIGH RISK GROUPS

*** REMEMBER ***

1. False positive tests do occur, and further testing may be necessary. False positive test results, in groups with NO obvious risk for AIDS, can be as high as 90% in some cases.

2. The time interval between actual viral infection (by blood transfusion or contaminated needlestick) and a positive HIV antibody screening test is approximately 3 months. This interval seems to be slightly longer (6 months) in those infected via sexual intercourse. Wide variations in this interval have been reported in all groups.

3. The incidence of acquiring HIV by a blood transfusion (donors who have tested negative), even in a large metropolitan area, is thought to be quite low. It has been estimated that the probability of a screened blood donor (tested negative for HIV) could actually be a carrier is 1 in 61,171 cases.

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